Your A Monster, Your My Monster
by X-Silent.Echo-X
Summary: So Naruto's in a coma, Sasuke and his squad are in the village, Sakura's a wreck, and guess who got stuck as Uchiha's defense? None other than Yamanaka Ino herself! On top of that, Neji is now her security guard. This was doomed from the start! Sasuino NejiIno SasuInoNeji NejiInoSasu
1. Chapter 1

"No one expects perfection on the first try, Yamanaka!" Ibiki loudly scolded at the hospital ridden girl. Not that she wanted to hear it, practicing her chakra control while sitting on the bed.

"That's the issue, Ibiki-sensei!" She shot back, slamming her hand on the end table smashing it to pieces. She rather not live up to high expectations than to exceed low ones. Ibiki knew this, and continued to ignore her plea.

"Yamanaka."

"What?!"

"Your hand is bleeding."

"Damn it!"

Healing her hand quicker than the injury occurred, he continued the conversation.

"Listen, Ino," He finally said her first name, and the tone put the blonde more at ease. "It was your first s-class solo mission, be happy that you survived at all. I don't think your father could take a stab like that after what happened to your mother recently." Sighing in defeat, Ino nodded just as she heard a knock on the door.

"Eh?" She glanced up to see Sakura and Naruto at the door, a fruit basket at hand.

"Hey Ino-chan!" Naruto hollered and waved, and Ino sweat dropped.

"I'll take my leave now." Ibiki stood up, let the two in and continued out the door.

"Hey, pig." The pinkette smiled brightly at said blonde. "We brought a get well gift." Ino tried to stand up quickly, but, much to her demise, Sakura pushed her down gently by her shoulders.

"So, you all heard about it?" She sighed as she looked at the cast covered broken leg.

"Duh, I'm your best friend!" Grinning, she forcefully shoved the basket in her hands. "It was a success, I heard!"

"Ino-chan, don't even think about becoming Hokage before me!" The whisker-streaked face stated seriously, just to get hit on the head by an apple.

"Wouldn't think about it, bonehead! That's your job!" Laughing, the girl took a hold of her crutches as she stood up, with Sakura's assistance.

"You know, due to the gash in your good leg, you should just use a wheelchair, Blondie." Throwing a fully fledged glare at the green eyes, she spat.

"No way am I going to go rolling around in the hospital until all my wounds are healed!" She turned to Naruto with a smirk. "Wanna go to Ichiraku? It's on me!" Naruto began to faint, if it wasn't for Sakura's fist.

"You idiot, it's a trick to sign her out of the hospital!" She hissed as Ino scrunched up her face.

"B-but… Ramen… free…" On the verge of crying, even Ino felt bad for using him.

"I've got more money than I know what to do with, I've saved up 3905000¥ (About $50,000) just on that S-mission and a couple of A's, along with the hospital work. I don't think any 17-year-old is supposed to have that kind of money sitting around." Sakura gawked; just how much did that S-mission pay?!

Sensing the tension, she continued to talk. "Naruto, will you please just sign me out? I know everybody else wants to keep me locked in here." Better blunt than none, right? After all, Naruto can relate to this situation.

"Sure thing!" He smiled, and put his thumb up before leaving the room. Sakura scowled.

"Honestly, it's like you two are on the same wavelength or something for the past couple of weeks." Putting a hand on her hip, she smacked her forehead. "It must be a blonde thing."

The heiress laughed, grinning as a nurse came up to the room with discharge papers, Naruto following in tail.

"I'm free!" She smiled to Naruto, who grinned. "Its ramen time!" The two exclaimed. Sakura shook her head.

"As much as I want to sit and watch you two eat out pig's wallet, I have to get back to work." They pouted as she left the room without an answer, but then turned back to each other.

"It's just us then."

"Yep."

"Want me to carry you?"

"Idiot!"

* * *

The two sat down in the empty stand. Putting the crutches aside, she greeted the older man.

"I'm treating this guy, so none for me, thanks." Naruto blinked and turned to her.

"You're not eating?!" He gawked. She sighed sadly.

"I can't eat anything heavy like that while I'm recovering." Looking defeated as a bowl was set down in-front of him, he pouted as he picked up his chopsticks. Ayame frowned and crossed her arms in a thoughtful way.

"How did you get wounds like that anyway?" Naruto asked between chomps. Ino looked down.

"I was ambushed by some ninja from an enemy village when I got the info I had needed. One had a blood justu, let's just leave it at that." Biting her lip, she was shocked as heat had reached her face along with a pleasant smell. She looked at the noodle-less soup.

"It's on the house. Custom made for ya, nothing heavy." Teuchi smiled at the girl, and she showed a very grateful look as he handed her a spoon.

"Thanks Teuchi-san!" Naruto exclaimed on behave of the fellow blonde. As she finished said bowl, she looked to see her friend was on his 6th. Shaking her head, she's glad she had plenty of money.

"Ino-chan," Naruto said as he finished his last bowl, "I gatta' tell you something." A bit more serious, Ino paid the bill and walked out of the shop with Naruto as curiosity nagged at her. The blonde raised an eyebrow. It was already dark out, and something tells her she won't like what he has to say. "You know how Sakura and I haven't been going on missions recently, right?" Blinking, she nodded.

"That's because we are resting to go after Sasuke." Ino gasped and her eyes widened.

"Are you nuts?! He tried to kill you!" Biting her lip, she looked at his serious face. "I don't want to leave him alone either, but why so soon?!" She was sure that her reasons where good ones, and she couldn't afford Naruto getting killed.

Since Asuma died, Shikamaru and Chouji had done their own thing, so much for the Ino-Shika-Cho formation outside of missions. Since then, it seems that Sakura and Naruto became closer, and Sai became an ANBU and really only remained in touch. Most of the 9 had become Jounin at 17, like Ino, Naruto and Sakura. Although, Naruto basically skipped Chunnin, not that he needed it.

"We planned on leaving tomorrow-"

"You want to go on a suicide mission when I'm still injured?!" She began to yell, luckily the street where, for the most part, empty. "Naruto, what happens if-" Warm arms engulfed her and she sighed into his shirt.

"I don't think I can truly get used to people caring about me like family, but, thanks." She heard his smile and dug her head into his shoulders.

"Icmphhuhgyuzhbaske. Shmelloe, Kruytche"

"What?" He asked.

"I can't hug you back. Hello, Crutches." He laughed, and let her go. "You better come back, alive, and not in my condition." She scolded him, and he waved goodbye as he reached her shop.

"As you command, princess!" He grinned and ran off, leaving Ino to sigh and smile at the sky.

"You are one big idiot, Naruto."


	2. Chapter 2

"Gah!" Ino bit back a scream as the newly applied stitches where going into her skin.

"Yamanaka-san, I'm asking you to hold still!" The older nurse commanded as she attempted to stitch the deep 2-week-old wound. "Just how bad did you cut yourself? This wound is horrible!"

"Hey, you go on an s-rank mission, and we can talk!" Snapped the irritated blonde. The nurse should be used to this, but this girl has a way of getting on her nerves.

"That's it; I'm calling Ibiki-san!"

"No, don't!" Letting her pride get in the way, she let the nurse continue without any complaints. Until the intrusion.

"Yamanaka-san." An ANBU member appeared in front of the door. The blond looked at him in a skeptical way.

"Yes?" What do the ANBU want with her? No offence, but, she shouldn't even be able to talk to them equally, and she's pretty sure she didn't want to.

"Hokage-sama requests your presence." She blinked, and remained silent.

"No, no! No more missions for this one for a while!" The nurse defiantly commanded to the ANBU. "She's got a broken le-"

The Yamanaka stood, and gave a bow of thanks to the nurse, much to her demise.

"I understand." The man nodded and disappeared as Ino was grabbing her cloak.

"Yamanaka-san, don't do this!"

"I'm fine, damn it!" And with that she left, taking the crutches with her as she quickly left the hospital, a shooting pain for every step.

* * *

Entering the Hokage's room, she had seemingly walked into a hell.

A bloody Sakura and Kakashi, several ANBU, some Jounin, such as Guy and Neji, higher ups, and of course, the Hokage. Awe-struck, the blonde just stood in the doorway. After a moment, the Hokage took notice.

"Ah, Yamanaka, come in."

And all hell broke loose.

"This is the girl?!"

"She's barely a kid!"

"An injured one at that! She looks like shit!"

"Thanks!" Ino snapped at the older male, who seemed fond of such words. "Anyone mind telling me what going on?!" She turned her head to Sakura, who just seemed out of it. Kakashi kept his head down.

"Uchiha was brought back to the village." Tsunade finally spoke; as a result the heiress was speechless. Taking a second glance at the two, that would explain their wounds.

"What does his whereabouts have to do about me?" With this the room was full of groans. Tsunade put her hand up to silence everyone.

"Miss Yamanaka, Ibiki assigned you to get him to at least accept the food given to him while he's kept for interrogation." One of the elder leaders said, and, much to everyone's surprise, she scoffed.

"If he wants to die, let hi-"

_Slap_

The force caused her head to swing to the side, and she quickly brought it back. Looking at the Pinkette in front of her, disgruntled and in shock. "You would abandon Sasuke-kun!? I thought tha-"

"He's not the _Sasuke-kun_ you knew anymore, Sakura!" She spat with venom, curling fist breaking the handle bars on the crutches.

"You don't know that!"

"I don't have to!" The rest of the room remained silent as the two rivals obviously shared their different views. "Look at what he did to you and Kakashi, hell; I don't even know where Naruto is!" Sakura looked at the ground, and her fist curled.

"He's in a comma, Ino!" Shocked, a familiar wave of fear crashed down on her.

"You can't be serious…"

"I'm afraid she's not, Yamanaka." Neji spoke up. They went on a couple of missions together, and have gotten familiar with each other. Defiantly enough to know he wasn't the joking person.

"…So all I got to do is keep him alive, right?" She gave in and a sigh of relief came from both the Hokage and her apprentice. Both nodded.

"I'll take you to where he is." The Hyuuga guided the limping girl down the hallway, leaving the chaos to the leader.

"I don't know why you saved me, but thanks." She sighed, and Neji kept his head forward.

"I'm on your side, that's why." Raising an eyebrow, the girl stopped walking.

"How is there a side?" He finally turned to her, eyes still straight.

"You think as well as I do that Uchiha no longer has a place in this village, correct?" She felt a kink in her stomach.

"I never said that!" She hissed.

"Hn." He continued to walk, and pointed to the door. Trying to take a deep breath, she felt the presence of more ANBU members inside, probably on guard. She reached for the handle, flinching as she did.

"Yamanaka." She blinked as Neji's voice broke her out of her trance.

"I… I can't do it…" She brought her hand to her face, her bangs covering the other half.

"When you act like this, you're putting your life in someone's hands, you know." Not that she would admit it, but this isn't the first time she broke down in front him. Given that they aren't on a mission like the other time, however, she had made it a horrible habit.

"Ha-ha, glad it's you, huh?" She smirked, putting her hand on the doorknob. "Your pride won't let you kick a person who's down."

"Promise me you won't change your mind when it comes to him." She glanced at him to realize that he was now looking straight at her with a stern face.

"Sorry, Neji, I promise nothing." She smiled sadly, and opened the door.

To say he looked horrible was an understatement.

Dried blood has yet to be wiped from his face, hair cake in blood, as well as his clothes, which where tethered and torn. She spared one glance at the Hyuuga before turning to the ANBU.

"I want a minuet alone." She stated, and the UNBU where most likely in shock.

"Yamanaka-san, you kno-"

"Now."

They hesitantly left, along with Neji. Closing the door, she turned her head to glance at the fallen prodigy.

"You're an idiot, Uchiha." And so begins the one-sided conversation. "And you look like shit. Your personality probably is too."

"…"

Ino sighed and sat back in a chair across the table from him. She took a minute to look at him, his eyes still not visible. Her eyes sharpened as she noticed a twitch on his ring finger, from pain. She also noticed how most of the trail of blood came from what seemed to be his eyes. _'Could it be that…?'_

She slowly stood up, and cautiously moved in front of the Uchiha. Slowly, she got on her good knee, elbow on the other. His eyes still weren't visible, she stared intently and she could tell that there was a stream of fresh blood still running down his cheek. Her eyebrows knitted.

"You're completely mad." She sighed and stood up. She hobbled up, got her things, and headed for the door, a hand in her pocket.

As she turned the knob, an air slicing sound was heard.

He had caught the kunai aimed for his chest.

"So, you really go have a will to live, Uchiha." Smirking, the blonde turned the knob completely. Without turning around or looking at his face, she opened the door.

"And don't forget to eat the food, you can always tell me if it tastes like shit, ya know."

Closing the door, she walked down the hallway, a wide grin on her face. Blinking, she had realized that someone was waiting for her.

"Hyuuga, what are you still doing here?"

"I was forced to."

Liar.

* * *

**I genuinely thank my 2 reviewers, and hope that you silent readers (Do to the views, there has to be about 10 of you! =] ) start to review, I mean, I feel defeated! ^/^ This story takes time, but I had already written 6 chapters to get past my 5 chapter stump history (never write past 5 chapters) so you don't need to worry! **

**Just, please R & R !  
**


	3. Chapter 3

"Is he a lost cause?" The blonde turned to the man, confused. She was perfectly fine with the two just walking down the hallway, in complete silence. I mean, this seems to be the only subject that the Hyuuga wants to talk about. A small grin reached her face.

"I don't think so," She turned to him to see his face. "But, I'm also not the one who risked my life to save him; only to come up short." He stopped walking; the blonde grinned and tapped her temple. "You don't have to be a mind reader, ssttuuppiidd." She knows that there's no way she's just going to get away from this one.

"Yamanaka…" When she heard his tone, she tensed.

"Well, I have to go check on Naruto, see ya!" She sheepishly tried to run away, but of course, it wasn't long until he caught up with her. So, there she walked, a wave of annoyance smacking her every 3 seconds that she was walking next to him. As they left the tower, she felt any eyes staring at the two, both confused and awestruck. "Hyuuga, you can't possibly not feel the stares!" She hissed in a low tone at him.

"Well, I'm incompetent, so what does it matter?"

Of course.

"All right, you're not stupid, okay!" She admitted.

"I'm aware." And he just kept walking next to her. The whispers got worse. A vain began to throb on her forehead.

"So care to tell me why your still following me?!" Pouting in defeat, she stopped and crossed her arms.

"It's what I was told to do." Her eyes narrowed as he continued. "Since you're taking up Uchiha's defense, as many people want you dead as they want him dead." He turned his head to two men in a Sake house, which quickly went back to playing their cards. Ino, meanwhile, just had reality crash down on her.

"I… I can defend myself!" She stuttered in anger and shock, having some people look at her sideways. The Hyuuga's face remained static. Pushing the taller boy out of the way, she shoved the crutched in his hands.

"Don't do anything stupid, Yamanka." He stated, and the blonde scoffed.

"I have an excuse, right? I'm blonde!" Taking her gash filled and broken leg, she jumped to the rooftops.

She continued to ignore the shooting pain in her leg. Heading back to the tower, she stopped outside his door. Clenching her teeth, she turned the knob again. The ANBU looked at her, completely confused.

"Yamanaka-san?"

"Um…" She hadn't thought of what she was going to do when she got there, it was really just pure instinct. "May I… have a moment, again?" The back of her mind was screaming to get out of here. The ANBU didn't like the look on her face, but hadn't questioned it since they had left. She stood there for a minute, before sitting across from him and rolling her neck.

"Don't you get tired of sitting in that chair; I can tell you now it isn't comfortable." Leaning her head in her hands, she took a deep breath. "I'm starting to get the feeling that I'm talking to a dead… person…" She blinked for a minute before realizing something.

"I have something I need to tell you, but you have to let me heal your eyes first."

He flinched, and she felt a kink for in anticipation of not talking to herself. She stood again and balanced her way over to the other side of the table. She sent chakra to her hands.

Slowly, she surely put her hands in front of his hair, and to his forehead and eyes. Sighing in annoyance she realized how messed up he had made them.

"Honestly, Uchiha, you have a knack for messing yourself up. All I can do for now is heal the pain and regulate the blood flow." She continued this for several minutes, and she's stating to feel the effect. Rubbing her head, she had started to feel the pain in her leg again. Looking down, she had realized that the stitches where opening again because she had never let the nurse finish.

"Shit!" She cursed under her breath. Uchiha still had yet to say anything, and she had no chakra to heal her own wound now. She could see Uchiha move out of the corner of her eyes as she grasped her leg, low in the seat across from his.

She heard a knock, but had realized that it was coming from their side of the door.

Uchiha was currently knocking on the door to alert the ANBU.

They entered the room instantly, and also quickly took notice to the blonde's condition.

"Yamanaka-san, did he-"

"No, you morons, I did it to myself." Yeah, let's call the higher ranks idiots when they have to help something that you did for yourself. Nice job, Ino.

"I'll call Shizune-san." One of the two said, and dissipated. Great, now that Uchiha sat back down, he still hadn't said a word. The other ANBU continued to wait out the door.

"Thanks." She grumbled. Turning her head away from his direction, she scrunched up her face in a pout. Shaking her head, she realized that she never told him what she wanted to. Sadly, the ANBU appeared just as she had opened her mouth.

"Ino-san!" Shizune gasped as she looked at the blood covered pants. The blonde grinned sheepishly and laughed.

"Whoops." She laughed and Shizune sighed.

"Honestly, you're a medical ninja as well! You should learn to take care of yourself!"

"Yeah, but, I had to heal h-"

"No excuses, I'm taking you to the hospital, now!"

"But I-"

"Now!" She began to drag the blonde out by the arm, but the girl made time to whisper one thing.

"Naruto's alive, Sasuke!"

She wasn't able to tell, but she could have sworn that he looked up.

* * *

"You are unbelievable, Ino! You're back in the hospital, again!" Sakura sighed and things went back to normal between the two of them. "I know that Naruto's going to be fine, but when it comes to you I just don't know!" The blonde bit back screams as she jammed the needle a little too hard into her skin.

"God, Billboard brow, I have veins in my legs you know!" She hissed as the pinkette finished up.

"Yamanaka." Ibiki's voice came through the door as the two girls looked up.

"Something up?" She questioned in a casual tone, flipping the hair of her shoulders.

"Actually, yes." He sighed and she could see it was out of… relief? "I don't know what you did, but, Uchiha seems to be eating, and even following orders." He grinned at the girls' faces. Tears began to swell in her friends green eyes and Ino flopped back on the bed in relief.

"Awesome, so that means that Neji can stop following me around, right?" The blonde questioned in a hopeful tone.

"Unfortunately, no." And on cue, said boy walked through the door. "It's not pleasant on my part, either."

Sticking her tongue out at him, she gave her friend a tissue as she calmed down.

"So, Hyuuga, if you have to follow me around, than I should go shopping. After all, I need underwear." Giving it a straight face, she watched as Hyuuga's face turned horribly awkward.

"Perhaps you can defend yourself in certain scenarios."


	4. Chapter 4

Walking into the hospital room, the girl sat by the bed of the fellow blonde. It was about a couple of weeks since Naruto had come back to the village with Sasuke, and he was supposed to come out of the coma in about a week. She hasn't particularly visited the Uchiha since he started eating, and Neji continues to follow her around on command. Her leg was healed, and the gash in her leg was going to leave a faint scar.

"Yamanaka, do you really like seeing him in this condition?" The calm voice asked as she sighed and closed her eyes.

"No, Neji, but still… I can't just leave him. I mean…" She grunted. "This idiot better wake up soon!" The girl flailed her arms in the air.

"_Hey, who are you calling an idiot…?"_ A meek voice asked and the girl's ear twitched.

"Naruto?" She asked, turning to him. But, he was still motionless. "Neji, did you hear that?"  
"Hear what?"

"…Nothing…" She gave him a skeptical look before standing up. "I'm going to see Uchiha." Walking over to the window, she opened it and jumped to the rooftop before the Hyuuga could say anything.

Opening the door, she had realized that not only Sasuke wasn't there, but the ANBU wasn't as well. Blinking, she turned to see one of the ANBU.

"Yamanaka-san, we expected you would come here. Uchiha is under watch in a temporary residence." She couldn't help but smile, and sigh in relief.

"May I see him?" She questioned.

"Of course." The man led her down the streets, and to an apartment. Not much, but it seems a little less than what she thought the all mighty Uchiha resides in his man cave.

He knocked on the door and the blonde actually felt a wave of nervousness wash over her. She had never been in a guys' house, minus Shikamaru's, Chouji's and Naruto's. She should be used to it! Shaking her head, the blonde lifted her head as the door opened.

"Well, at least you're not covered in blood anymore." She spoke without thinking as he opened the door. She then sheepishly scratched the back of her head. "You look better." He looked at the ANBU with a blank stare, then the blonde again. Realizing that he wasn't letting her in, she grinned awkwardly as she pointed to a random, faraway, direction.

"I just wanted to check on ya, you know?" She blinked as he sighed and took a step to his left.

"Yamanaka, I told you not to do that." With the sound of Neji's voice, she jumped and her face turned pink.

"Neji?!"

_Slam._

Snapping her head to realize that raven-haired boy had slammed the door, she groaned. So close, too.

The ANBU had dismissed himself, leaving a seething Ino for Neji's killing.

"I had an ANBU with me; you didn't have to follow me!" She hissed and continued to walk past him, away from the apartment.

"I don't have to follow orders?"

"Shut up!"

Rubbing her temples, the girl snapped. Pushing paste him, she couldn't help but groan in annoyance.

"I don't care about orders, Hyuuga, but progress is impossible if you hang around!"

"Now, why do you think that is?" She blinked and scowled.

"What do you mean?"

"I have already told you, I believe that Uchiha no longer has a place in this village."

"…" She stood there in shock, trying to rap around the information.

"You have been… sabotaging me?!"

"That's your interpretation."

_Slap._

"Are you kidding me?!" She hissed after her open hand made contact with the Hyuuga's cheek. Why would he have scooped to such a low state of mind? "That's it; I'm going to go to the Hokage's off-" A hand grabbed her upper arm before she could do anything. Turning, she glared, just to receive a glare back.

"Why is it that you still want to help him even though he single-handedly made you an enemy of your own village for the last month?"

"Because it's his village as well!" She bit her tongue and pulled her arm away. "Look, I'm going to my house to sleep, you have an issue with that?" Not turning around, she took to the rooftops.

The Hyuuga straightened his face, and turned to leave as well.

The blonde turned in her bed, the clock had read 12:31 and she groaned. Pulling the sheet over her head, she grunted and flailed her arms, dispersing the blanket. She turned to her side, and looked out the windows, the moon was very bright, glowing in the cloudless sky and illuminating the village.

"I can't do it!" She grunted and threw herself off the bed. Sighing she opened her window and crawled out, she was hoping her father wouldn't notice.

Walking down the street, she had finally reached his apartment and smiled. Walking up to the corner of the door and tightening the gray scarf she had thrown on. Soon she had realized that she wasn't the only person who was visiting the onyx-eyed boy. Seeing a pink haired silhouette, she quickly stepped behind the corner.

"Sasuke-kun! Please open the door and talk to me!" She heard her plead in distress. "Please, you have been ignoring me for the past month! I was your teammate was I not?!" She cried, but the blonde still has yet to hear the door open. "I guess that…I-I-I'll just leave the b-basket here…" Even though she had known that wasn't what she wanted to say; she heard a soft rustle and footsteps quickly fading away. Sighing, she had turned on her head and walked over to the door, giving it three direct knocks.

"Uchiha, I know you're awake." She closed her eyes and taped her foot, arms crossed as she waited. The blonde waited for a couple of moments before the door opened. "Much appreciated. Now take the damn basket." Said girl then picked up the basket and shoved it into his chest. He gave the blonde a glare and then just continued to wait for her to continue.

"What? Neji isn't with me, I swear!" She put her hands in the air, and gave her a skeptical look before allowing her to pass him. "Hmm, rather plane, don't you think?" Her hands in her sweatpants pockets, she looked around. It was small, clean, and neutrally colored. Spare the many folders and papers on that were scattered across the table. Sitting on the white sofa, she put her hands on her knees and sighed and Uchiha was pending weightier to close the door or not.

"I'm glad that you're making progress," She stated as he finally closed the door. Although, she did really want to hear what his voice is like now. He sat across on the armchair and picked up a folder. She huffed and pouted her lips. Glancing over some of the papers, she really just found things on the current workings of Konoha. She wasn't even quiet sure why she came here, but it was actually the first place she thought of. Looking up as she heard the rustling of papers stopped, she blinked as he looked at her.

"I think that I should be going…" She stood and walked to the door, however, she heard something as she turned the knob.

"Why did you take up my defense?"

The heiress felt a wave of excitement as the voice hit her ear. He was talking! She turned and gave a grin.

"Someone had to do it." She smirked and walked out to the hallway. "Try getting some sleep, I'll be over tomorrow."

"Hn."

The door closed, and she once again tightened the scarf around her neck. As she climbed to the window, she facepalmed. Not only was the window sealed and locked, however, the shop light was on.

She was so busted.


	5. Chapter 5

"Ow, Ow, Ow," She hissed as she grabbed her head. Her mother had caught her when she had snuck out last night. Now, that wasn't the worst part. When the fierce woman was armed with a skillet, the smart blonde's idea was to answer truthfully and said 'A guy's house'.

She couldn't have been stupider.

Now, she's walking down the street with a bloody face from the impact to her right temple. Of course it really wasn't that bad, but it had popped a vain. Now people where giving her scared looks and she pouted.

"Holy crap Ino!" A voice howled. The blonde looked up to see a very animal-like person.

"Not now Kiba." The hissing girl glared as she looked at said boy. He grinned and handed her a towel. She looked skeptical and took the rag. It smelled like Kiba and dogs (There's a difference?) but the girl wasn't in a place to complain. "Thanks."

"No problem, but now you owe me." Aqua eyes sharpened at the grinning boy.

"Now what could you possibly want from me?" Sighing, she put the available hand on her hip.

"Well that's simple," A finger was held up in a matter-of-factly way. "I would li-"

"It's Sasuke-kun!" The two turned to face the street where said boy was walking down the street. What do you know, once a fangirl always a fangirl? The heiress and beast sweat dropped as most girls either freaked out or fainted.

"Wow, he knows how to make an entrance." Kiba snorted and crossed his arms; the blonde nodded and continued to press the towel against her forehead, pain followed with the nod.

"So, as I was saying-"

"Yamanka." A calm voice caused the blond once again to turn. This time, it was Hyuuga.

"Aw come on!" Kiba howled as his shoulders dropped.

"Neji, what do you want?" She hissed and scrunched up her nose in annoyance. The Hyuuga seemed much more 'interested' in her than the cursing boy in front of him.

"Your forehead." He pointed to it.

"Ah, this?" The girl laughed. "I brought it on myself."

"Hn, as expected." Her eye twitched in annoyance.

"Ha-ha, very funny."

"Ino, can I talk to you?" Kiba questioned, and pointed off somewhere. "Alone."

"Negative." Both heads turned to the Hyuuga. "Now that Uchiha is on the streets, I have to keep a closer eye on her."

Kiba swore that he saw a leash get strapped around the blonde.

"Eh?!" Snapping, the mind reader's jaw dropped.

"Honesty, I'm starting to think that just because you're a Hyuuga you can be in everybody's business!" The dog-like-boy growled and the long awaited Akamaru approached him. Sensing the awkward situation, he nudged his master. He turned to him before sighing. "Fine, boy, let's go get your things. "

"Kiba, don't leave me!" Yamanka pouted as her last chance at humanity gave her a sorry look and turned away. "So mean…" She mumbled.

"Do you despise me that much?" She flinched at his question. Guilt overwhelmed her small form.

"Of course not!" She snapped and faces him. "You're just…hard to talk to!" The bleeding had stopped, but the towel was basically soaked. She finally looked up to see that he was… torn?

"Isn't Uchiha hard to talk to as well?" His faced stayed static and the girl bit her lip.

"Well, at the least he doesn't try to boss me around!" The girl snapped and faces him. This is the first time that the thought had occurred to him. He was used to be above people on missions, giving commands and having them follow him. He didn't think that he was bossy, or stood-up. He thought that that was how it goes.

"I apologize, then."

The entire world then faced the girl who had actually made Hyuuga Neji apologize.

"Ehm…" She was speechless, and that was an understatement. "You didn't have to go that far." Scratching the back of her head, "But, thank you…"

"Sasuke-kun~!" A girls voice called, rather a redhead. By the way she clung on his arm, it seemed as if…

"So the people Uchiha was dragged back with were let out."

"EEHHHH?!"

Some people turned to face the blonde in a sideways look, and she still couldn't help but gawk.

"Yamanaka, you didn't know?" Hyuuga stated too blandly as she watched in shock. "That girl wasn't the only one that was brought back."

"Oh hell no!" The blond felt like she was about to rip her hair out. She has been trying to save his ass from execution and yet this girl just runs up and attaches herself to him?!

"Uchiha!" She hissed and walked up to him, clenching her fist.

"Who is this?" The redhead questioned. "Another fangirl?" However, she was too busy glaring at the Uchiha.

"Are you kidding me?!" By now that entire street was watching, much to their amusement. Uchiha remains static. "All that time wasted trying to talk to you!" Completely oblivious to the two approaching figures, the girl stomped her foot. "I thought we had something going!" The girl sniffed. "All those weeks…" She fell to her knees, and cradled her face in her hands.

The entire street gasped; did Yamanaka Ino; a clan heiress, fall for Sasuke Uchiha; the dishonored avenger?!

"If you had just told me that you had a girlfriend; my defense paperwork would have been done by now!"

The people went back to what they were doing.

"We're not." Uchiha surprisingly corrected, much to the redhead's demise.

"Yamanka, get up, your causing a scene." The Hyuuga sighed and yanked on the invisible leash, causing the girl to yep, quickly stand up, and glare at him.

"Seriously Sexy, he's not worth your tears." Several glares pointed themselves as him. The blonde looked up to see a silver-haired boy.

"Sexy. Really?" Hyuuga stated blandly. "That's clearly unbefitting."

"The hell, Neji!" Ino snapped, glaring at him. Unannounced to her, he clearly hadn't intended it to be an insult. He meant it as in 'she deserves more respect than that'. However, they both aren't the brightest when it comes to compliments.

"Shad' up Suigetsu!" The redhead harped and sliced though his neck, in return made him turn into water. In shock, Ino just stood there at what just happened, and Sasuke looked like he didn't give a damn. What a strange group they must have made; since everyone passing couldn't help but stare.

"Ino-chan!" A girl called, and the girl turned.

"Tenten?" Blinking as the brunette ran up to them, she seemed out of breath. Holding an envelope, she quickly handed it to the heiress.

"Um, Tsunade wanted me to give this to you!" The panda-like girl stood straight. "Hi Neji, Sasuke." The two nodded, and the brunette smiled before taking to the rooftop upon feeling the awkward aura.

"Um, I hate to cut this meeting short, but I have something I need to do." She dismissed herself before anyone could say twice.

"So, Sexy's name is Ino? How Ironic." Suigetsu smirked, and received three glares in return. "What? I'd rather look at her than Karin."

_Splash._

"What? It's the truth. To think she thought you two were a couple."

"Shut up!"

"Just Sayin'."

* * *

**I actually just needed some comic relief for my viewers, and this is more of an filler anyway, to be honest~ While I love reviews, I am asking a favor by asking you to review on this chapter! Now off to bed!**


	6. Chapter 6

"So, you are telling me that, of all things to do, you make me do this?!" The Yamanaka heir did not want to hear of this option, not only was it questionable in itself, but the fact that the almighty hokage made the elders agree to it was even worse.

"Ino, please understand that this isn't just uncomfortable for _you_. You are not the only one affected by this decision." The older blond woman sighed, expecting this reaction. The girl was known for voicing her opinion when she knew she could.

"Alright, and what about Hyuuga? Does he have any idea what you are volunteering us up for?" She leaned a bit closer. "Will we even be able to explain this? I don't wish to be under scrutiny for the rest of my life." It's bad enough that rumors ate at her reputation, but now this?

"It is only temporary, understand this." The young girl knew there was no way out; put by the time she was going to yet again state the voice o f reason, the other person in question had knocked.

"Come in." The door opened revealed the Hyuuga that would be affected by the actions of the elder. "Neji, I have a… proposition for you."

"Not a proposition, an involuntary command." The heir interrupted.

"Look, you think that the elders are happy? This is for both of your safety."

"By making us leave the village as criminals?!" The girl had finally snapped, curling her hands into a fist. Neji, who basically had no idea what had just occurred, blinked.

"Tsunade-sama, is this true?" The Hyuuga really did not know what to think, this was such a foreign situation.

As for the Yamanaka girl, who is used to such circumstances, did not want to go through this with someone who she knew prior to the 'proposition'.

"Still, to have an esteemed clan in on it?"

"Hiashi-san has already been informed of the situation, and is setting up a place for you to stay."

"This is ridiculous!" The blonde, much to the demise of the older hokage, turned and headed to the door without a chance of argument.

"Yamanaka, it is only as bad as you make it." Neji's voice made of her freeze. Had he completely forgotten the conversation they had? She will not throw him under the bus and snap in front of Tsunade; however, she had to get her point across. If he had more of a reason to near her, the more opportunity he has to sabotage her.

Without any more hesitation, the blond flung the door open.

"Yamanaka!" The woman's command was unheard. The girl left the hokage's tower, although many tried to stop her. This was pushing it way too far. To leave the village with Neji until the court date, and then come back and be stuck with him for god know how long after? Why not just deal with what she need to, many people want him dead, and he can also handle himself in that aspect… to take this to such an extent? Then, what if she is forced to kill her own shinobi because they want to see his end? What will she be? Will she be a missing nin?

The girl walked down the street, uncaring of the reactions that the people had to her. What can she do? Can she even do anything? Should she go to Suna and camp out at Shikamaru's and Temari's? What about Sasuke? Then what about Naruto? What happens when he wakes up and…?

What importance does she have with him anyway? He has his crush, Sakura, His best friend back, Sasuke, and the girl who will always be there, Hinata. Where does she fit in?

This is what brought her to his room, which is filled with flowers and ramen packs from other people. The girl laughed sadly at the simple gifts.

"Right, you don't need me." She whispered to herself, not even leaving the doorway after she had closed it. She took one long look at his bandaged head, before smiling and reached for the doorknob.

'_Don't be stupid.' _ A single voice rang in her mind, making her stop as she turned the handle. The blonde turned, shocked. Is, it really possible, that he is talking to her? People said that when you are in a coma you know all that go around them, still, to be able to do this?

'_Naruto?'_

When there was no reply, she looked at the ground again. This is the second time that this occurred, but it seems to only be at curtain points.

"Goodbye, Naruto."

* * *

To leave as a missing Nin, arranged by the elders? How would it help them? They're reason was that people will not know where they were, but they just left Sasuke, the main target, confided in a small place? And eventually she might end up in the Bingo book and on someone's wall on as a trophy? The blonde haired beauty sadly knew that she could not survive in that world and what could she really do?

This is how the heir found herself on the roof of her house, looking at the sky, hoping that it would give her an answer.

"Yamanaka." The tone was so neutral it was a bit defining.

"What do you want, Uchiha?" She did not expect a reply, but a question was a question. He did not move from where he stands, instead he looks up as she has.

"I do not need your defense." This caused blond hair to sway as the teen turned her head and smile.

"I highly doubt you want to go through all that paperwork." The sarcastic tone made the Uchiha glance at her. "Besides, I owe you." Now this surprised the onyx haired heir knit his eyebrows. "Due to the problems you caused, I was able to grow much more than I thought possible, so I thank you." She smiled at him.

"Hn."

"I have to say though; it will be hard to leave." She mumbled for herself, noticing the look that he was giving her, it seems that he has no idea what she was talking about. This wasn't his fight; this was her fight with the elders. Ever since she had joined the interrogation branch, the elders refuse to believe that she is good enough to become the head interrogator, sending her on an s-class solo mission. What she hasn't told people was that the blood justu that caused her injuries was exclusive to Konoha, meaning that it was clearly a leaf ninja that had attacked her in the safe point. The elders where clearly pushing her past her limits, and to do this was just going too far. By leaving on this 'mission' god knows what excuse they will make.

The girl stood, and spared a glance at Sasuke before giving him a smile.

'_This is my battle, not his.'_

"Sasuke, I'm curious. What would you do if I died tomorrow?"

To say that this question was left-field to him was an understatement. The avenger really never even thought of her dying, a personally, he didn't like the tone of the question. Why would a happy blonde like her ask such a thing? After a couple moments, the girl gave a sad, small smile and faced the ground.

"I see…" So she didn't matter to anyone, huh? Everyone already has special people in their life, and it seems that she wasn't any of them. Her father would be possibly devastated, but he would know telepathically if she was ok or not at all times, so he didn't play a large role in her decision.

If the elders want her gone so badly, if Danzo really wants Sasuke's defense out of the way in a sad attempt to do _anything_ with him, that won't happen. As long as she is 'technically' a shinobi of Konoha, her defense stands and she is away from everybody who she cares about; so they will not be stuck in the crossfire. She took a scroll out of her medical bag; the scroll had all of her personal belongings in it. One that the girl had packed earlier. She turns back to the onyx eyed boy with sadness.

"Goodbye, Sasuke."

With that, the blonde was gone in a puff of smoke


	7. Chapter 7

What was that?

The recently freed Uchiha was standing there, on the Yamanka's roof, for what seemed to be a good five minutes. Goodbye? Did the blonde mean the statement as in she was no longer taking his defense? If so, why was she so disappointed? From what the avenger could tell, the girl had so many thoughts through in her head that she barely noticed him. Such weird actions are definitely not what he was used to, and he didn't like it. As much as he hated to admit it, he owes as much to the blonde as he does to Naruto. The thought made him scowl to himself at the suicidal comment, and his bottom lip made a frown.

He couldn't tell why, but as he thought of the last couple weeks, her terrible habit of coming over at horrible hours, the fact she always brought a single flower, claiming that the place was too much like a mental asylum. The thought of her habit of bringing his paperwork and nagging at him if he filled something wrong or misspelled a work –on the rare occasion that it happened- the way that the girl persisted on making sure he ate correctly. How every time they had a trial for certain cases or anything that involved the two of them, she would always fix the top button on his jacket, saying the being a slob will get his head cut off like a animal. The Uchiha would then intentionally unbutton it again when the case stated, and notice her eye twitch and her voice get an octave higher upon noticing.

"Tsk." He clicked his tongue, fixing his dark short sleeved shirt. What was this girl up to, saying something like that and just disappearing?

Why did he care, anyway?

The thought trickled down the back of his mind. Most likely just a sense of gratitude, nothing more and nothing less… a complete frown now came over the Uchiha as the thought of the girl _actually_ leaving his defense caused a strange weight in his stomach. He had to admit, she was probably the best defense in Konoha. But upon acknowledging this, the man felt the weight get heavier. The unfamiliar feeling pulled at his stomach.

"Uchiha?" Tsunade blinked, noticing how the man appeared without permission, shocking a gennin who happened to be getting lectured. The brunette boy quickly ran out of the room, however, Uchiha didn't stop to look at the boy, but continued to look at the older woman.

"Where is Yamanaka?" The blunt voice made it seem much too much like a statement, but it still shocked the golden eyed hokage. Before she had a moment too think over a reply, the man took a step closer and put both hands on her desk.

"Where is she." His now was low and a bit hoarse, making the hokage take a second. The raven haired teen had leaned forward, his eyes darkened more so than normal, and a scowl took over his face. Never had the woman seen such a reaction out of him.

"How is that any of your concern?" The statement apparently royally ticked the boy off, and he hissed under his breath. She had a point though, how was it any of his concern? "Or is it you have actually grown close to her?" The woman picked a terrible time to tease the onyx eyed avenger as he quickly stood straight and turned around. He knew exactly where he can get what he needed.

Luckily, her didn't have to look far, as when he opened the door not only had he found his target, but his goal as well. On a shortcut from the hokage tower to the Hyuuga clan.

"Uchiha?" The calm and girly voice asked in question, and she quickly wiped something from her face. Noticing what it was didn't take much thought, and he felt the strangely familiar foreign weight in the guy's stomach. Was she…crying? The red on her cheeks and the corner of her eyes agreed with his instincts. The girl smiled, and although she did a very good job, the Uchiha had unwittingly spent enough time with the blonde to look clear through it. Against his better judgment, he took approaching steps until he was only a foot in front of her. The girl looked up in surprise, blinking.

"Sasuke?" Dropping the last-name habit made him feel a tug again. Choosing to ignore the feeling, the taller heir looked the blond in the eyes for a moment.

"Yamanaka, what was that?" Was all the avenger could manage to say, shocking both of them at once. The blonde blinked.

"What was what?" Dumbfounded by the choice of words, the Yamanaka got distracted from her mission for a moment.

Frustrated with himself, the Uchiha cursed under his breath in annoyance. Why was he all over the place like this? How hard was it to ask, 'Why did you say goodbye?'? Really, it confused him and his words came out a mess.

"What did you mean 'goodbye'?" He corrected himself, noticing the blond's immediate flush. The action caused the older heir to scowl.

"I do owe you an explanation, don't I?" She whispered, wiping a tear that threatened to fall.

"You think?!" He shocked himself and blinked, the girl doing the same. He had unwittingly snapped, and in a very un-cool way, making the two stand there for a minute in total shock. Before he knew it, the blond had already begun laughing joyfully and what seemed to be endlessly. The onyx-eyed boy sighed and rubbed his forehead, covering his eyes.

"W-What was that?!" The girl distractedly blurted out, forgetting all about her current problems for a moment. Wiping her eyes, she calmed a bit before looking at the boy. "Are you…blushing?!" The blonde simply could not believe her eyes, and she stood there in shock as the raven-haired male straightened his face. Upon meeting his gaze for a moment, the blondes face blushed as well.

"Yamanaka." Having his manhood being tested at the moment, he taller heir his hands on either side on the wall she was leaning on, her breath then caught in her throat. "What did you mean?" His voice was a bit hoarse, and the Yamanaka quickly flushed in sadness again.

"I have to leave the village." She whispered, the Uchiha then slowly blinked. Registering the information he can tell that it wasn't just a normal mission, she meant it as in _actually_ leaving.

"Like hell." The sharp reply made the girl shoot her eyes up at him in shock. For some off reason, he wasn't sarcastic or even angry; it was like a weird… possessive tone?

"Sasuke, this isn't my choice." The almost broke down upon the fact that it wasn't even her say. Much to her surprise, the boy just leaned closer.

"It isn't anybody else's choice _but_ yours." He hissed, attempting to persuade her to think for herself. He knows better than anyone, having already made that decision. They both know that she would not be able to survive in that kind of world, she was especially social able to and would go insane without anyone to talk to as well.

"Sasuke?" She questioned in a higher pitch voice, wiping more tears with a strangely calm voice. "Thank you-"

She was cut off by a strange pressure to her lips.

Hands cupped her jaw and the blonde didn't put up a fight, quickly giving in. It was far from short, but it was strangely sweet, but in a way, desperate. Not for each other, lot a longing kiss, but something that the flustered and hazy Yamanaka girl got the message with.

'_Do not leave me.'_


	8. Chapter 8

"Stop it!" A voice snapped, making the two young adults snap their head in shock. Who they saw was possibly the worst person to see the two, at least which is what the Yamanaka girl thought.

"Sakura…" The blond's voice was faint and hazy, her brain going a million directions at once. The girl wasn't hesitant in pushing the older boy away, looking at him as if he was a sort of disease. The onyx eyed teen was Cleary taken back by the action, almost losing his balance.

"What the fuck, Ino! I-I thought that you where his defense!" The pinkettes voice hissed, her fist curled in anger and tears wheeled in her green eyes.

"I-I am! I swear Sakura it's nothing more than that!" The blonde was about to reach out a hand, but shockingly a bigger, pale hand caught it.

"Yamanaka, you have done enough for one day, haven't you?" Just noticing the boy, she looked up in shock to see long brunette hair and milky white eyes.

"…Neji…."

"There is not a reason for physical action, Hyuuga." The source of the voice was the Uchiha himself. The blonde couldn't tear her eyes from the pinkette in front of her, biting her lip. She attempted to slip her hand out of the teens grip, but much to her shock the Hyuuga in return wrapped an arm around the blonde's waist.

"At this point, it seems to be deemed necessary, Uchiha." Upon the closeness the blond flushed in realization, and without her noticing a dark scowl covered the avenger's face.

"Sakura, please, let me explain!" The mind walker attempted to ignore the position she was in with Neji and focus on her shocked best friend. "One chance, that's all I ask!" They were all shockingly quiet, waiting for the girl's response.

"One chance, Ino. Now explain this." The Haruno girl spat in anger, and the blonde had a shocked look on her pale face.

"S-Sasuke was just…" She didn't even spare the boy in question a glance. "Attempting to get my attention, I was talking nonsense! We don't have feelings involved; it was just a lapse of judgment!" The desperation didn't cease as the blonde shared a look with her peer. She noticed the hold against her waist loosen.

"Is that true, Sasuke-kun?" The shorter girl asked, seemingly numb as she turned to her teammate.

"…" The blonde's eyes widened at the rock she was looking at when the silence hung a bit too long. Slowly turning her head, she caught the long stare that the Uchiha was seemingly giving her. The two looked at each other and the black haired legend was progressively getting darker.

"…I believe that it isn't." The girl's throat hitched in her throat. What was happening? Did the words really just come out of his mouth? Is this really real life?

"I see." A dark voice whispered, the pinkette's head hung down. The Yamanaka heir didn't say anything - she couldn't. Nothing could be said. Without another word, the pinkette had disappeared in smoke.

Tears threatened to well in the blonde's eyes as she stood in shock for a moment. In anger she attempted again to break free of the boys grip, but in return he had to grip her waist tighter.

"Let me go! I have to-"

"Have to what, Yamanaka? You think that she wants to see you right now?" His voice was a bit raised, shocking the blond. Still, she blindly shut her eyes, punching at his chest as her emotions wheeled to the surface. "Let me go! I have to! I have to fix this! I can't leave it like this! I can't let her think that-!" Her voice was forced into his shirt as her took his other hand and held her head into his chest. The blonde gave in, and began to curl into his shirt.

"I think it's time to leave, Uchiha." The teen barely whispered, and without thinking of a better option, the heir scowled and walked away, giving the Hyuuga a warning glare. He spared the blond a long glance, and the brunette noticed the curl in the avenger's fists.

"They are gone, Ino."

With Uchiha and Haruno gone, the wind walker finally completely gave in upon the words, sobbing into the older teen's shirt.

"I c-can't leave, Neji!" The blonde screamed quietly, "To leave t-things like this, I just can't!"

"I talked to the elders," His calm voice made the girl catch her breath a bit. "I made them throw out the plan of us leaving." The blonde's head immediately shot up. Did she really just hear him correctly?

"W-what?" She questioned again.

"We no longer have to leave." He reassured, holding her waist a bit tighter. "I asked a favor of the Raikage to give us an alibi; we are there now, performing tasks for a new 'trade route' to Konoha. We have been gone for the past week." He said somewhat sarcastically, making the blonde just stare in shock for minuet, looking the teen in a straight face. After a moment, the blond broke down and jumped her arms around the boy's neck in happiness.

"N-Neji!" She shuddered in happiness and shock, shaking with happiness. "Thank you! Thank you thank you thank you thank you!" She hollered, arms not leaving the boy. "I don't believe it! This can't be real!" In happiness, the blonde made the mistake of handing on the brunette a bit too long, and as the blonde calmed, the realized the closeness of the two. "Thank you…" She said, now a bit more calm, a small smile still on her face, and gave the Hyuuga a kiss on the cheek. For a moment, the blond was waiting for him to let her go, but much to her shock; the second-hand-heir had actually held her tighter,

"I will never understand you." The deep voice made the blonde look for a minute in shock, to see his eyes in… a combination of anger, and… disappointment? Perhaps frustration? The pale eyes sank into her blue ones. "You see Uchiha differently than you do me. You react differently when he touches you." His voice was low, and he had a shadowed look on his face. He held her tighter around her wrist again, towering his height over the frail blonde. "Why do you not see me…as a man?" The blonde gasped in shock, her eyes widened in shock as he leaned her against the wall, still towering the height difference.

"What will it take?" He asked, in frustration dropping his head on her shoulders and sighing. The blond was shocked and couldn't manage to move, stiff against the wall. A blush crept on her face and she felt a strange bubbling feeling in her stomach. For once, she blonde was really speechless. He moved again, this time he barely touched her jaw, and the blond noticed the significant difference of how he and Sasuke act. His touch was light, yet desperate. She felt her heart quicken much faster, but the urge wasn't as strong. The tall boy laced his thumb against the pale jaw line of the blond. "I will not force myself upon you, however, I will not simply hand you over to him." He said smoothly, and the blonde still couldn't manage to speak. Her heart felt like it was about to give out.

"I don't plan on you calling yourself his anytime soon." The Hyuuga spoke and breathed into the blond's neck, making the heir shiver where she stood. Finally, the brunette backed off, and gave the mind walker a calm look as he turned into smoke.

Without another sound of word, the blond fell to her knees, out of breath and her vision hazy.


	9. Chapter 9

When the blond somehow brought it in herself to file some much needed paperwork, she knew that she needed much more coffee than the cup that she was holding could currently supply. Anko had stopped by to drop some papers off, causing the girl to currently face the interrogation of the mad older woman.

"Yo, Blondie, what's wrong?" Raven hair stayed perfectly in place as the older woman swung onto her desk, making herself comfortable. The heir swore that she had a phobia of regular chairs.

"What isn't?" The girl admitted, sighing back into her seat. Rubbing her temples the crazed woman grinned toothily.

"Ah, hormones! Boy, when you're older you are going to wish that men had the ability that they used to! They can barely keep it down, boy do I miss it!" At this the girl flustered quickly at the thought of the Uchiha and Hyuuga, and this fed into her minor sensei's tricks. This called the onyx eyed interrogator to laugh hysterically at the minor drop of blood leaving her pupil's nose. "Ha-ha, I called it! So, what, they aren't satisfying you or something?" This caused the blonde to fluster even more, throwing any free objects her desk held at the woman.

"I'm still a virgin, thanks!" The girl flustered and shockingly hissed, in shock the darker haired female looked in shock. After a moment of looking the girl up and down, she finally spoke.

"You have a body like that and you're still a virgin? You must be a total bitch on a date." The bluntness shocked the blonde, and caused a forehead to pop a vain.

"Thanks so much, Anko-sensei." The girl snarled sarcastically, crossing her arms. "Isn't this an inappropriate conversation anyway?" This caused the older woman to stare at her blankly for a minute.

"This is inappropriate?" The sincere question made the blond sweat drop and she filled the last of her paperwork.

"Look, I finished here to I'm going to go visit Naruto. Any more wonderful advice you want to give me?" She said as she picked up her coat.

"Ah, yeah!" She concluded matter-of-factly. "If it came down to Hyuuga or Uchiha, I would go with Uchiha. He would treat you better. In his own fucked up way, that is." The teen froze, slowly turning from the door that she was facing. The sensei gave a happy wink before disappearing, giving the girl more questions than answers as a slash of red crossed her cheeks.

As she sat in the empty room, the ramen pile was considerably high and that the Hyuuga girl came in to get flowers much more often than normal. She sat by the bed. A total of three months have passed, and the boy still hadn't showed a sign of returning to light anytime soon. Grabbing his hands she noticed that they where considerably colder than the last time. A fear too familiar wheeled in her chest. She clasped his hands tighter and pressed them to her lowered forehead.

'_I feel like I'm losing you, Naruto. Slowly.' _Tears wheeled in the girls eyes. Something. There has to be something she can do, anything. Anything, she was a Yamanaka and she was aware that they had a particular jutsu in her clan, where only two people have been able to successfully pull someone out of a coma by waking them up mentally. It seems like his body is getting frailer by the day, but she is not worried about that.

If somehow, someway, she is able to get to that section of his brain, what would happen if she where to find the kyuubi? Just waiting for her to take a wrong step and having it end in total disaster?

'_It's a risk I'm willing to take.'_

Somehow, In the back of her mind, the girl knew that it wouldn't harm her. However, she needed to try something else.

She sighed and took a deep breath, holding his cooling hands tighter as she touched her forehead to her fingers. A strained face scowled as she sent mental shockwaves to the boys brain. No response. Perhaps a personal message or plea?

'_Naruto, you idiot, wake up!'_ The thoughts screamed in her head, each one more aggressive than the last. This was her limit. She needed to send it today, before it's too late.

'**Kit, someone is calling you.'**__A strange and demonic voice filled the girls head, and it made her shudder. A bead of sweat dropped off her face and her eyes slammed shut. It was too late now, she needed to finish what she had started.

'_Right, someone is inside my brain, because that makes so much since.'_ The blond gasped at the familiar male voice.

'**Don't get angry at me, I told you to walk away from the fight.'**__The voice was surprisingly annoyed.

'_Naruto!'_ Having not wanted the argument that probably went on for three months, the girl pleaded to the boy.

'…_Ino?'_ Instant recognition of the voice, the lighter haired blonde sobbed silently.

'_Yes, Naruto.'_

'_How are you here?'_

The girl stopped for a moment.

'_Never mind that, we have to wake you up quickly!' _With both hands around his, she continued to send chakra waves to his brain in hope for a reaction that she would like.

'_I've been trying that for three months…I think. Has it been three months?' _ Too calm for the girls liking, she continues to send waved. Her eyes are dreary by now. _'…Ino? Ino! Don't pass out on me, you hear me?!' _His voice barely kept the teen from falling asleep. _'Hey, can you hear me?'_

No reply.

'_Kyuubi, send her some chakra!' _not that shockingly, the teenager demanded that nine tails.

'**Kit, if you think I am going to listen, you are slower than I thought.'**

'_The faster I can get out of this comma the faster you have quiet time!'_

A pause filled the room with silence, both physically and mentally.

'…**Alright, though just enough to wake you up.'**__

The kyuubi had kept his words, sending the girl the needed chakra. Feeling rejuvenated, the blonds worked for another ten minuets, before the girl finally got some function in his brain.

'_That's it, Naruto!' _The heir claimed, finally sending the waved of chakra and getting something back.

The blonde moved her hands away when she no longer felt the mental connection, and looked at his lifeless body in shocked.

Unable to believe, the blond had tears in her eyes and she smacked her forehead. Did it completely backfire?

Before she could grasp the situation, a pair of arms engulfed her.

"It worked, Ino!"


	10. Chapter 10

"I-it …worked?" The girl stuttered, slowly brought her arms up and wrapped her arms around the embracing boy. "Naruto…"

"You're amazing, Ino!" The blonde fox-like boy exclaimed, showing her the toothy grin that she had missed for so long. It wasn't long, however, until the girl felt a burning sensation in her stomach. Grabbing it, she quickly realized a white marking.

"Naruto, you didn't have the fox give me chakra, did you?!" The frantic girl gave her friend a troubled look, shocking the boy.

"Wait, why?" He asked, worryingly avoiding the question. "What's going on?!"

"Naruto, I'm a Yamanaka! You connected the fox's chakra with mine!" The heir grabbed her stomach, attempting to explain despite the forming seal. "When a Yamanaka receives chakra inside a person's mind, they are telepathically linked until death! The nine-tails chakra's bond is too strong; my body is forming a seal to control it!"

The blue-eyed beauty doubled over in pain, even a drop of blood leaking from her moth.

"Ino! I need to get a nurse-"

"No!" The two looked at each other.

"What?! Ino you need help- that seal is…"

"…The only person who could have stopped it would be the person who had originally formed the seal…" This had caused the twos faced to grim.

"…You mean my father…" The mind-walker nodded, wiping the blood away. "…But there has to be something!"

"Naruto, how much chakra did the fox give me?" The question made the teen look down, and a shadowed look followed. "How much, Naruto?"

"You were going to die; I needed to know you wouldn't get trapped in my mind…" A pause followed the statement. Suddenly, the heir grasped her head.

"W-what… is this…" Her shaken voice "I don't know these faces…what?" The girls eyes bolted from corner to corner, Naruto holding the girls shoulders.

'_**You forgot to mention that the girl was a Yamanaka' **_the demonic voice rung in both of their heads, and the two shared a shocked look.

'_What, you knew about all this?!' _Naruto's voice rung in the ears of his mind, and his friends'; the fox grew silent, and both blondes look at each other.

'…_**One of my previous vessels was a Yamanaka.' **_Realization pounded on the girl. This wasn't her memories, it was he ancestors. From the looks of it, it was just after the first ninja war.

'_Kyuubi, these memories aren't from my ancestors perspective, this is yours.' _Finally, the girl gained her composure, the seal faded from her stomach.

"Ino, what are we…ya know…" Not finding the right words to express the situation, the boy sighed and a scowl grew on his face.

"Supposed to do? I have no idea. The only person that would know something like that would be someone like Orochimaru." The two once again fell silent. "This seal basically is stating that I can call upon the kyuubi's chakra, but… why would I want to?" The girl bit the corner of her lip.

'**Just because you can doesn't mean that I will let you.' **

'_No one asked you, fuzzy head.'_ The girl snapped, causing the blonde boy to begin to worry.

"Erm, Ino, I wouldn't-"

'_**You insolent little brat! One reason why I shouldn't squash you like the bug you a-'**_

"Well that's enough of that, don't you think, Naruto?" Cutting off the mental connection, she had temporally delayed the scolding of a lifetime. The seal had faded, and the two smirked just as a nurse was chitchatting as she had opened the door.

"Yes, from what I heard that he's not getting any bett- Uzumaki-san!" The nurse quickly dismissed her clipboard, running to the hero's side.

A large amount of testing ensued. Vitals, blood count, Ibiki checked his mental health, and one by one many of the friends he had came. All but one.

Thus, this is what the Yamanaka girl assumed. That he simply didn't know, or was avoiding the confrontation. She had grabbed her interrogation coat to hide the fading seal, she left him in the company of his friends.

"Uchiha, get your sorry ass out!" Uncaring of judgmental passerby, she continued to knock heavily on the door.

"As if he wants to see you, you whore." The familiar hawk-like voice stated, and the blonde didn't even flinch.

"I'm sure that he would rather see her than you, Karin." The blunt voice stated, with his ever-full water bottle in hand. The response was, as usual, a fist to his evaporated face. While taking a break from her sturdy knocking, she turned to face the two.

"Whatever, Karin, was it? I'm sure that he's just not home." Blandly stated, the girl sighed. Suigetsu laughed and smirked, causing the two to look at him confusingly.

"Well, if sneaking into his apartment on the third story by window counts, than I guess he isn't home." It didn't take less than a second for the redhead to screech in joy and look of the open hallway balcony to notice the window.

"Sasuke-kun!" The red-head called, happily waving and nearly losing her balance.

"I can see why he found the window much more appealing." The girl sighed, scratching her head as the white haired man smirked.

"Finally, god all mighty sent a sexy woman with a brain! Where have you been?" The heir smirked, flipping her blonde hair over her shoulder.

"Well I guess that you just didn't look hard enough." She laughed, before noticing a cool arm around her shoulders.

"Well, perhaps I can't look enough." The familiar feeling of a males' presence made the blond have a moment of her old self, and she simply did what her instinct told her too.

Well, she would have, if the arm wasn't knocked off of her shoulders.

Well, more descriptively, cut off.

"Damn Sasuke, never did that before." The silver haired teen smirked, looking at his demolished arm.

"If you two are going to invade each other's personal space, do it elsewhere." The grim and calm voice rung in the girl's ears; barely blinking before realizing what he implied.

Shaking her head, she got her composure together.

"Uchiha, there is something that-"

She had barely any time before she felt a wave of nausea. Grabbing her stomach, the girl had felt her stomach go aria, and the familiar taste of her blood. This shocked the company that she currently had.

"Yo, what's wrong Ino?" Using the first name bassist, the shark-like guy had a rand on her shoulder.

"Shit." She cursed under her breath. _'You stupid fox! _ You don't need to send me chakra now!'

'_**If I don't you will die. I have to send enough to power the seal. Or do you prefer death? You will get used to this.' **_

The girl cursed again, stranding straight suddenly with a frown.

"Sasuke, Naruto is awake." She had noticed the change in his features, before he turned his head abruptly and began to enter his apartment.

"How does that concern me?" This had caused the blonde to frown, and quickly stood in front of him and closed the door. Blinking at her own actions, she then realized the shock on his face.

"_Listen you little snot-nosed brat, stop being so egotistically selfish." _ Quickly covering her mouth, she cursed in her head. _'That wasn't me. Fox, what the hell did you do?!'_

'**Unlike Naruto, your seal can easily be penetrated.'**

"You no good-" She stopped when she noticed the looks that she was receiving, particularly one from a very off-guard Uchiha.

"Haha, I think you better go Sasuke, before she does worse than state the obvious." After a quick beheading, the white haired boy laughed again.

"Sasuke, look just _please_ come with me and visit Naruto." She sighed, attempting not to get killed.

"Why the hell would he listen to you?! After you insulted him like that?" The red headed girl hissed, a hand on her hip. _'But it wasn't me!' _her mind yelled in protest, but she remained silent.

"Fine, I get it. Look, just visit Naruto when you get the cha-"

"Yamanaka." He interrupted her, mid sentence. "I believe that you have bigger things to worry about, don't you?" The words shocked the blonde.

'_**Did you really think that an Uchiha wouldn't sense me?'**_The girl sighed, _'I was hoping, really.' _

"Let's go." He knocked her out of her thoughts, shocking her.

"I'm coming with-!" The redhead exclaimed, the blonde was about to rub her temples.

"No." The tone was much colder than the one held towards the blonde, and she remembered how cold he was five months ago.

"And once again, Karin got rejected!" Suigetsu laughed, this time avoiding the impact before entering his own apartment. As the girl sighed in defeat, she entered hers.

As they approached the streets, she was shocked as she was suddenly dragged into an alley by her company. Without missing a beat, he had abruptly opened the girl's interrogation jacket. The blonde gasped at the sight of the growing seal, quickly closing it around herself again, avoiding eye contact. The two stood for a moment, and the Uchiha wiped his forehead in frustration.

"Yamanaka, what did you do?


End file.
